SANFORD, Maine — The State Fire Marshal's Office said a Springvale man pleaded guilty to class A arson in Alfred Superior Court on Friday, for his role in a fire on July 6, 2019.
Johnathan Cox, 25, was also sentenced to eight years in prison with all but five years suspended and four years probation.
The fire destroyed a home at 26 Montreal St. in Sanford and heavily damaged a neighboring property. The flames forced the occupants to escape through a window and left both buildings uninhabitable.
Witnesses first identified Cox as being involved. State police said a neighbor's surveillance footage showed him arriving and fleeing from the scene.
Cox's guilty plea comes after a 6-month investigation by the State Fire Marshal's Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; and Sanford Police.